France

We decided to try and outrun the forthcoming heatwave, so Kay drove West for about two and a half hours, via Lidl, to Le Vieil-Bargé. It looks like Brittany and Normandy will be a lot cooler as the week progresses so we thought we would spend our last few days around there.

Had a quick look round a flea market opposite our carpark, mostly rubbish! Tintin drove for 45 minutes to Saint-Dyé-sur-Loire, passing through the Chambord estate on the way. Bikes out, and we rode to Château de Chambord and cycled round the estate rather than going inside.

Another 30 minute run to end the couch to 5k program, Jo Whiley says that we’re runners now! Kay drove for over an hour to Vernou where, once again, we just got our books out and sat in the shade.

Managed to get some diesel at a Super U and Tintin drove for an hour to Chaon, would have been less but for a French deviation to nowhere. It was a chairs out and read day with a bit of maintenance thrown in.

Another 30 minute run done this morning, hard today. Decided just to move up the Loire a bit to Sully-sur-Loire with an LPG stop on the way, took 3 goes to get the gas seal right! Pleasant walk around the Château and the town.

Tintin drove for 30 minutes to an aire in Briare close to where the Canal de Briare goes over the Loire on an impressive aqueduct. We had a walk into Briare and a bike ride around some of the villages close by. So many canals and bits of the river it’s difficult to know where you are!